Track maintenance device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a snow grooming device, which can be attached to a tool carrier in the front or back of a snow grooming vehicle and which is provided with a snow conditioning tool that can be coupled to the tool carrier, and with a tiller unit on the same side of the vehicle. To create a better application potential for conditioning the snow base with this snow grooming device, in spite of its simple design and simple operation, it is suggested according to the invention that the tiller unit is designed as an exchangeable adapter separate from the conditioning tool, and that it can be separately coupled to and uncoupled from the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a snow grooming device, which can be attachedto a tool carrier in the front or back of a snow grooming vehicle andwhich is provided with a snow conditioning tool that can be coupled tothe tool carrier, and with a tiller unit on the same side of thevehicle.

2. Background of the Invention

From PCT/EP95/04233, a snow grooming device of this category is known inwhich the tiller unit is fastened in the area of the lower rear edge ofa dozer blade mounted in front of the vehicle. The tiller teeth of thetiller unit are pivotably held in bearing supports which are rigidlymounted at the bottom rear edge of the dozer blade. The tiller teeth canbe tilted—via a control mechanism supported at the dozer blade—from aready position into an operating position in which the teeth engage inthe snow base.

This tiller unit has proven very successful in practical application. Itcan be used to rip open and loosen the snow base. The snow groomingvehicle that follows comminutes the ripped-up chunks and may treat themwith conditioning tools that follow behind. Thus, even hard, icy snowsurfaces can be reconditioned into a new loose base.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to improve a snow grooming device ofthe above mentioned type in such a way that an improved applicationpotential is created for the conditioning of the snow base, while thedevice should be of simple design and easy to operate.

This objective is achieved according to the invention with a snowgrooming device which has the characteristics outlined in claim 1.

Thus, the tiller unit can be provided separately from the conditioningtool and be attached to the vehicle as an exchangeable adapter. Thetiller unit can be designed as a separate unit and can therefore be verywell adapted to the desired function.

For example, the tiller unit can be attached to the vehicle itself as anexchangeable adapter, and uncoupled again. As an adapter, it isseparately exchangeable, so that the vehicle can be equipped accordingto the desired mode of operation.

Preferably, it is possible to couple the tiller unit to the toolcarrier. Thus, the tiller unit itself can be coupled directly to thetool carrier as an adapter.

In an alternate version of the invention, the conditioning tool or thetiller unit can be coupled directly to the tool carrier. Thus, forexample, the conditioning tool can, as an alternative to the tillerunit, be directly attached to the tool carrier. Another possible versionwould be for the tool carrier to have two carrier units to which theconditioning tool and the tiller unit could be attached independently ofeach other and coupled side by side to a carrier unit.

Advantageously, the tiller unit can be arranged between the conditioningtool and the tool carrier. Thus, the tiller unit and the conditioningtool work in succession in driving direction and can supplement eachother for optimal grooming. For example, the tiller unit can firstloosen the base with tiller teeth, and then the ripped-up chunks can becomminuted further with the conditioning tool until they have thedesired consistence.

It is recommended that the tiller unit be designed as a holder for theconditioning tool. This means that the conditioning tool can be held bythe tiller unit, allowing it, for example, to be coupled and uncoupledwhile it is on the vehicle. Thus, the tiller unit and the conditioningtool can be designed as a compact unit. By designing the tiller unit asan exchangeable adapter, it serves as a coupling unit for the toolcarrier.

It is also conceivable for the coupling connection of the tiller unitfor the tool carrier to correspond to the coupling connection of theconditioning tool for the tool carrier. In that way, the tiller unit andthe conditioning tool can be arranged on the tool carrier, as analternative. This allows the exchangeable coupling of the tiller unitand the conditioning tool to the tool carrier.

As a particularly advantageous alternative, the tiller unit can beprovided with a coupling connection for the tool carrier on the sidefacing the vehicle, and a holding arrangement for the conditioning toolon the side facing away from the vehicle. This means that the tillerunit is attached to the tool carrier, while as an option, theconditioning tool can be attached to the holding arrangement. Thus, thetiller unit can be coupled to the tool carrier alone, or, in addition tothe tiller unit, the conditioning tool can be attached and held by thecarrier.

In a special manner, the tiller teeth of the tiller unit can be made tomove—via a control mechanism—between a ready position and an operatingposition in which the teeth engage in the snow base, whereby the controlmechanism is integrated in the tiller unit. Thus, the control mechanismis always coupled and uncoupled together with the tiller unit, which isdesigned as an exchangeable adapter, so that the control mechanism canbe operated more or less independently from any accessories. Naturally,the control mechanism is supplied with energy from the energyconnections, such as the hydraulic lines, the accessories or the vehicleitself.

Preferably, the control mechanism can be linked to an actuator leverthat is separate from the tiller teeth. The actuator lever can beoptimally designed for activating the teeth and can be appropriatelyadapted to the control mechanism. The design can also be such that thecontrol mechanism and the actuator lever are arranged at an adequatedistance from the snow base that is to be conditioned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In a preferred embodiment, the control mechanism can be provided with apiston and cylinder unit whose linkage points are on the tiller unit.Thus, the piston and cylinder unit is supported by the tiller unit, sothat the exchangeable adapter can be coupled and uncoupled withoutregard to any connection requirements for the control mechanism.

It is also conceivable that several tiller teeth of the tiller unit areconnected with each other via a laterally extending cross web whichengages in the snow base when the teeth are in operating position. Thecross web serves as an additional separation and ripping arrangement. Inoperating position, it separates a layer of the snow base, which is theneasy to comminute and condition. Furthermore, the cross web facilitatesthe additional loosening of the material to be conditioned.

It is understood that the tiller teeth can be designed as a holdingarrangement for the cross web, and just a few tiller teeth are enoughfor this holding function. It is also understood that the conditioningfunction of the cross web does not primarily depend on the tiller unitbeing designed as an exchangeable adapter.

It is recommended that the cross web be arranged on the exterior end ofthe tiller teeth. This means that a layer of the snow base in the sectorbetween the tiller teeth and their linkage point on the tiller unit islifted up.

It is also conceivable for the cross web to extend parallel to one ofthe swivel axes of the tiller teeth.

In a practical embodiment, the cross web can tilt upward and toward therear of the snow grooming device, when the tiller teeth are in operatingposition. In this sense, “tilt upward” means that the web extendslaterally in relation to the horizontal plane, that is to say in askyward direction. Due to this direction of the cross web, the separatedsnow layer is lifted slightly upward and is thus additionally loosenedup. In some snow layers, this already causes a slight breaking of thelayer. Naturally it is also possible for only a part of the cross web totilt upward.

Preferably, the cross web can be provided with a web section which inthe front is substantially horizontal when the tiller teeth are inoperating position, and whose back is formed by a winged web sectionthat tilts upward. First, one layer of snow is separated by thehorizontal web section. The winged section of the web slightly liftsthis layer at an upward angle and loosens it. Thus, the functions ofseparating, lifting and loosening the snow are each performed optimallyby different sections of the web.

It is recommended that a knife blade be provided at the front of thecross web. The knife blade facilitates the cutting of a snow layer.

Preferably, the tiller teeth can be chamfered to approximatelyknife-edge shape in the front. This facilitates the ripping-up of thesnow base.

In a variant of the invention, the conditioning tool is a dozer blade.Thus, the tiller unit can be designed as an exchangeable adapterseparate from the dozer blade. Usually, the dozer blade is attached tothe front of a snow grooming vehicle. As mentioned above, the tillerunit can be coupled on separately as an exchangeable adapter.

It can be especially advantageous if the conditioning tool is an auger.Often, augers are attached and are pulled behind a snow groomingvehicle. By designing the tiller unit as an exchangeable adapter, it canbe provided separately from the auger. For example, the tiller unit canbe in front of the auger, where it first rips open the snow base incoarse chunks and loosens it, while the chunks are then conditioned bythe auger.

It is understood that the objective according to the invention can alsobe solved by a snow grooming vehicle with a snow grooming deviceaccording to claim 1. Correspondingly, the snow grooming vehicle canalso contain the above described characteristics of the sub-claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a frontal view of a snow grooming vehicle according to theinvention in accordance with a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a lateral view of the front part and the snow groomingvehicle shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of an exchangeable adapter according to theinvention in accordance with the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the rear of the exchangeable adapteraccording to the invention, as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of detail V in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of detail V of the exchangeable adapter ofFIG. 3, with the dozer blade and the multi-articulated mounting onlyindicated.

FIG. 7 shows a vertical section through a dozer blade according to theinvention in accordance with the first embodiment, along line VII—VII inFIG. 8.

FIG. 8 shows a straight top view of the dozer blade shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows second embodiment of a snow grooming device according tothe invention, attached behind a snow grooming vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a snow grooming vehicle 1 according to a firstembodiment of the invention, showing a multi-articulated mounting 2, towhich a tool carrier 3 is attached in the front.

Vehicle 1 runs on a snow base 4, is designed as a tracked vehicle and istherefore running on tracks 5.

The multi-articulated mounting 2 can move on all sides via severalpiston and cylinder units, as is known in conventional dozer blademountings. The tool carrier 3 moves by following the movements ofmulti-articulated mounting 2.

Tool carrier 3 consists of a three-point bearing whose three bearingpoints are approximately at the corners of an isosceles triangle. Thevertex is formed by a hook 6 pointing skyward. The two base points areformed by locating receptacles 7 which are provided at the outer cornerpoints and whose cross section is roughly pot-shaped. In the front, theyhave a locating hole 8 and in the back of the pot shape a hole 9.Locating holes 8 have a larger diameter than hole 9. Each locatingreceptacle 7 has a cut 10 on the outside, extending to the centre oflocating hole 8 or hole 9.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a tiller unit 11 according to the invention, designedas an exchangeable adapter. It has a box-shaped basic body 12 ofapproximately rectangular cross section, at the bottom of which tillerteeth 14 are pivotably held in a mounting 13. Tiller teeth 14 arerotatably mounted on a shaft 15. The tiller teeth 14 are shown by solidlines indicating their operating position in which they engage more orless vertically in the snow base. The dash-dot lines indicate tillerteeth 14′ in ready position, in which they can be tilted back, whichmeans that they are arranged more or less horizontally and do not engagein the snow base.

The rotating shaft 15 is connected to an actuator lever 16 shown insolid lines indicating the operating position, in which it points moreor less horizontally backward above the snow base 4, and in dash-dotlines as actuator lever 16′ indicating the ready position, in which itpoints more or less vertically upward.

A piston and cylinder unit which forms control mechanism 17 engages inactuator lever 16. The piston and cylinder unit is arranged via a firstlinkage point at the outer end of actuator lever 16 and via a secondlinkage point 19 on a carrier 20 of the tiller unit. The piston andcylinder unit can be connected to a hydraulic system of vehicle 1 viahydraulic lines (not shown).

The tiller teeth are chamfered to a knife edge lengthwise on the sidethat faces forward when in operating position. Provided at the bottomend of tiller teeth 14 is a cross web 21 which connects tiller teeth 14with each other. The cross web extends parallel to shaft 15. At itsfront edge, a knife blade 22 is formed.

In cross section, the cross web in operating position has in the front asubstantially horizontal web sector 23 which is followed in the back bya winged web sector 24 that tilts upward. Winged web section 24 isarranged behind the tiller teeth 14.

Cross web 21 separates a snow layer 25 from snow base 4. By means ofwinged web section 24, this snow layer 25 is slightly lifted and thusloosened up. The dash-dot lines indicates how high the winged websection lifts the snow layer.

Attached to basic body 12 of the exchangeable adapter is a couplingconnection of tiller unit 11 for tool carrier 3. Arranged in the middleof the coupling connection is a cross bolt 27 that can engage in hook 6of tool carrier 3. Correspondingly to locating receptacles 7 of toolcarrier 3, locating extensions 28 are formed on the tiller unit,which—together with cross bolt 27—are arranged approximately at thecorners of an isosceles triangle. The locating extensions 28 areprovided with a central passage hole 29 into which cut 10 extendslaterally from the outside. In the back, the locating extensions 28 areset against basic body 12. As an extension of passage hole 29, areceiving hole 31, open toward the front, runs through basic body 12.Receiving hole 31 has a larger diameter than passage hole 29 to which itis concentric. Passage hole 29 and receiving hole 31 are connected witheach other in the border wall of basic body 12 by an opening of smallerdiameter.

On the side of basic body 12 facing away from locating extensions 28, aretaining arrangement is provided which has the two receiving holes 31and an open hook element 33 pointing upward. Hook element 33 andreceiving hole 31 are arranged in relation to each other exactly as arethe locating extensions 28 and cross bolt 27, and as are hook 6 andlocating receptacles 7. A conditioning tool, preferably a dozer blade,can be attached to the retaining arrangement. The exchangeable adapter11 can be attached to tool carrier 3 via cross bolt 27 and locatingextensions 28.

In the frontal or rear top view shown in FIG. 4, basic body 12 has asubstantially T-shaped form. Cross bolts 27 and locating extensions 28are arranged in the vertical T member. Open spaces 34 are provided tothe left and right horizontally on the outside, next to the locatingextensions, below the horizontal T member. These open spaces 34 areprovided as spaces in which the piston units of a frontally attacheddozer blade with laterally adjustable blades can move.

The rotating axle 15 extends on each side beyond the left and right openspaces 34. To brace shaft 15 in that area, a bracing frame 35 isprovided which cantilevers in the back on the basic body and holds theend of shaft 15. This holding point is also met by a retaining carrier36 which extends vertically downward on the outside from the upperhorizontal T member. At the very end of shaft 15, actuator levers 16 andcontrol mechanism 17 are arranged on the left and right.

FIG. 5 shows how exchangeable adapter 11 is attached to the tool carriervia locating extensions 28. Exchangeable adapter 11 is suspended at hook6 with the aid of its cross bolt 27. When tool carrier 3 is lifted upwith the exchangeable adapter, the locating extensions 28 engage in thelocating receptacles 7 and are centred at locating holes 8, as shown inFIG. 5. The locating extensions 28 extend into the pot-shaped locatingreceptacles 7. Pushed through hole 32 from receiving hole 31 is a screw37 whose head is supported at the edges of hole 32. Screwed onto thescrew is a threaded sleeve 38 which on the other side is screwed into athreaded bolt 39. Threaded bolt 39 extends beyond locating receptacle 7.At its end, it is provided with a nut 40 which is supported by locatingreceptacle 7. Thus, the exchangeable adapter is attached in an easilyremovable manner to locating receptacle 7, and as an adapter unit, it isalso easy to remove again from it.

To tiller unit 11 or directly to tool carrier 3, a dozer blade 41 can becoupled as a conditioning tool, which is shown in FIG. 7 and 8. Dozerblade 41 has a central dozing body 42 which is concave towards thefront. On the side of dozer body 42, movable dozer vanes 43 areprovided. Each dozer vane is pivotably mounted to dozer body 42 via avertical rotating axle 44 and each vane is movable between the front andback positions shown in FIG. 8 by a dash-dot line. Adjustment isaccomplished via hydraulic pistons 45 which are linked between dozerbody 42 and each dozer blade 43. The hydraulic pistons can move intoopen spaces 34 of the tiller unit when the dozer blade is attached tothe tiller unit.

In the middle of dozer body 42, a cross bolt 46 is provided. Cross bolt46 is part of a coupling connection of dozer blade 41, which is alsoprovided with two locating necks 47 on the back of the dozer blade. Inreference to cross bolt 46, locating necks 47 are positioned to matchthe position of hook 6 and locating receptacle 7 of tool carrier 3.They, together with cross bolt 46, therefore lie at the corners of anisosceles triangle.

Attached to locating necks 47 are screw bolts 48 which are horizontallypivotable, as shown in FIG. 7 and 8. For example, dozer blade 41 can becoupled directly to tool carrier 3 in which hook 6 grasps under crossbolt 46, whereby the locating necks 47 are centred through locatingholes 8 in locating receptacles 7 when dozer blade 41 is raised. Then,screw bolts 48 can be placed from outside through cuts 10 into holes 9,whereby a nut 40 is supported at the edges of holes 9 so that dozerblade 41 can be releasably locked at tool carrier 3.

FIG. 6 shows a partial view in which the exchangeable adapter 11 isattached directly to tool carrier 3, and dozer blade 41 is held directlyon the exchangeable adapter. Cross bolt 46 of the dozer blade isaccommodated by hook element 33. Locating necks 47 are accommodated inreceiving holes 31 and are centered in same. Screw bolts 48 arelaterally tilted through cuts 30 into receiving hole 31, and hole 32 istilted and extends into passage hole 32. The end of screw bolt 39 isprovided with a threaded sleeve 38 which connects it to a threaded bolt39 which catches behind locating receptacle 7 via a nut 40. Locatingextensions 28 engage in locating receptacles 7. Thus, the dozer bladeand exchangeable adapter 11 are centered with regard to each other andto tool carrier 3 and releasably fastened. Tiller unit 11 serves as anexchangeable adapter.

FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of a snow grooming device according tothe invention. A multi-articulated mounting 2 is attached behind a snowgrooming vehicle. Multi-articulated mounting 2 carries a tool carrier 3.a tiller unit 11 is coupled to tool carrier 3 as an exchangeableadapter, which corresponds substantially to the tiller unit describedabove. The coupling elements between tool carrier 3 and tiller unit 11approximately corresponds to the coupling elements described with regardto the first embodiment.

One change concerns the design of the hook connection. A hook 49 isattached to the upper part of tiller unit 11 approximately in the middleover the transverse side and reaches across a cross bolt 50 fastened totool carrier 3. The other coupling elements corresponds approximately tothe coupling elements described with regard to the first embodiment. Itis understood that the locating extensions can also be provided at toolcarrier 3, in which case locating receptacles 7 are fastened to thetiller unit.

On the opposite side, an auger 51 is attached as the conditioning tool,and it is pulled behind the vehicle. Auger 51 is held by tiller unit 11.The coupling connection between auger 51 and tiller unit 11 correspondsto the coupling connection between tiller unit 11 and tool carrier 3described above. Optionally, auger 51 can also be attached to toolreceptacle 3 without having tiller unit 11 between them. In exactly thesame manner, the tiller unit can be coupled to tool carrier 3 alone,without using auger 51.

The effect and function of the embodiments of the snow grooming deviceaccording to the invention are described in detail below.

Tiller unit 11 can be directly attached as an exchangeable adapter totool carrier 3 of vehicle 1. In this case, tiller unit 11 is designed asa unit separate from the conditioning tool and as an exchangeableadapter. Now, the conditioning tool can be coupled to exchangeableadapter 11.

Since the tiller unit is designed as a separate exchangeable adapter 11,it can also be uncoupled from tool carrier 3, and a conditioning toolcan be attached directly to tool carrier 3. This allows the combined useof the tiller unit and the conditioning tool, the sole use of the tillerunit, and the sole use of the conditioning tool. The devices can bemounted on the vehicle by means of a simple coupling procedure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A snow grooming device which can be attached to atool carrier (3) in the front or back of a vehicle (1), which isprovided with a snow conditioning tool (41, 51) that can be coupled tothe tool carrier, and which is provided with a tiller unit (11) on asame side of the vehicle (1), characterized in that the tiller unit (11)is designed as an exchangeable adapter separate from the conditioningtool (41, 51) and can be attached to the vehicle (1) and uncoupled fromit, characterized in that the tiller unit (11) is designed as a holderfor the conditioning tool (41, 51).
 2. A snow grooming device which canbe attached to a tool carrier (3) in the front or back of a vehicle (1),which is provided with a snow conditioning tool (41, 51) that can becoupled to the tool carrier, and which is provided with a tiller unit(11) on a same side of the vehicle (1), characterized in that the tillerunit (11) is designed as an exchangeable adapter separate from theconditioning tool (41, 51) and can be attached to the vehicle (1) anduncoupled from it, characterized in that the tiller unit (11) has acoupling connection (27, 28) for the tool carrier (3) on the side facingthe vehicle and a holding means (33, 31) for the conditioning tool (41,51) on the side facing away from the vehicle.
 3. A snow grooming devicewhich can be attached to a tool carrier (3) in the front or back of avehicle (1), which is provided with a snow conditioning tool (41, 51)that can be coupled to the tool carrier, and which is provided with atiller unit (11) on a same side of the vehicle (1), characterized inthat the tiller unit (11) is designed as an exchangeable adapterseparate from the conditioning tool (41, 51) and can be attached to thevehicle (1) and uncoupled from it, characterized in that the tiller unit(11) has tiller teeth (14) which can be moved via a control mechanism(17) from a ready position to an operating position, in which the teeth(14) engage in the snow base (4), whereby the control mechanism (17) isintegrated in the tiller unit (11).
 4. The snow grooming deviceaccording to claim 3, characterized in that the control mechanism (17)is attached to an actuator lever (16) separate from the tiller teeth(14).
 5. The snow grooming device according to claim 3, characterized inthat the control mechanism (17) is provided with a piston and cylinderunit whose linkage points (18, 19) are provided on the tiller unit (11).6. A snow grooming device which can be attached to a tool carrier (3) inthe front or back of a vehicle (1), which is provided with a snowconditioning tool (41, 51) that can be coupled to the tool carrier, andwhich is provided with a tiller unit (11) on a same side of the vehicle(1), characterized in that the tiller unit (11) is designed as anexchangeable adapter separate from the conditioning tool (41, 51) andcan be attached to the vehicle (1) and uncoupled from it, characterizedin that the tiller unit (11) has several tiller teeth (14) which areconnected with each other via a cross web (21) extending along atransverse direction with respect to the tiller unit (11), which crossweb (21) engages into the snow base (4) when the teeth are in operatingposition.
 7. The snow grooming device according to claim 6,characterized in that the cross web (21) connects the several tillerteeth (11) at outer ends thereof.
 8. The snow grooming device accordingto claim 6, characterized in that the cross web (12) extends parallel toa rotating shaft (15) of the tiller teeth (14).
 9. A snow groomingdevice which can be attached to a tool carrier (3) in the front or backof a vehicle (1), which is provided with a snow conditioning tool (41,51) that can be coupled to the tool carrier, and which is provided witha tiller unit (11) on a same side of the vehicle (1), characterized inthat the tiller unit (11) is designed as an exchangeable adapterseparate from the conditioning tool (41, 51) and can be attached to thevehicle (1) and uncoupled from it, characterized in that theconditioning tool is a dozer blade (41).
 10. A snow grooming devicewhich can be attached to a tool carrier (3) in the front or back of avehicle (1), which is provided with a snow conditioning tool (41, 51)that can be coupled to the tool carrier, and which is provided with atiller unit (11) on a same side of the vehicle (1), characterized inthat the tiller unit (11) is designed as an exchangeable adapterseparate from the conditioning tool (41, 51) and can be attached to thevehicle (1) and uncoupled from it, characterized in that theconditioning tool is an auger (51).